Marks of the Ministry

We then, as (A)workers together with Him also (B)plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says:

(C)“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”

Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

(D)We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed. But in all things we commend ourselves (E)as ministers of God: in much [a]patience, in tribulations, in needs, in distresses, (F)in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in fastings; by purity, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by [b]sincere love, (G)by the word of truth, by (H)the power of God, by (I)the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honor and dishonor, by evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and (J)yet well known; (K)as dying, and behold we live; (L)as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many (M)rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Be Holy

11 O Corinthians! [c]We have spoken openly to you, (N)our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but (O)you are restricted by your own affections. 13 Now in return for the same (P)(I speak as to children), you also be open.

14 (Q)Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For (R)what [d]fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what [e]communion has light with darkness? 15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? 16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For (S)you[f] are the temple of the living God. As God has said:

(T)“I will dwell in them
And walk among them.
I will be their God,
And they shall be My people.”

17 Therefore

(U)“Come out from among them
And be separate, says the Lord.
Do not touch what is unclean,
And I will receive you.”
18 “I (V)will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My (W)sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.”

The Corinthians’ Repentance

Therefore,(X) having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:4 endurance
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:6 Lit. unhypocritical
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit. Our mouth is open
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:14 in common
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:14 fellowship
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:16 NU we

συνεργουντες δε και παρακαλουμεν μη εις κενον την χαριν του θεου δεξασθαι υμας

λεγει γαρ καιρω δεκτω επηκουσα σου και εν ημερα σωτηριας εβοηθησα σοι ιδου νυν καιρος ευπροσδεκτος ιδου νυν ημερα σωτηριας

μηδεμιαν εν μηδενι διδοντες προσκοπην ινα μη μωμηθη η διακονια

αλλ εν παντι συνιστωντες εαυτους ως θεου διακονοι εν υπομονη πολλη εν θλιψεσιν εν αναγκαις εν στενοχωριαις

εν πληγαις εν φυλακαις εν ακαταστασιαις εν κοποις εν αγρυπνιαις εν νηστειαις

εν αγνοτητι εν γνωσει εν μακροθυμια εν χρηστοτητι εν πνευματι αγιω εν αγαπη ανυποκριτω

εν λογω αληθειας εν δυναμει θεου δια των οπλων της δικαιοσυνης των δεξιων και αριστερων

δια δοξης και ατιμιας δια δυσφημιας και ευφημιας ως πλανοι και αληθεις

ως αγνοουμενοι και επιγινωσκομενοι ως αποθνησκοντες και ιδου ζωμεν ως παιδευομενοι και μη θανατουμενοι

10 ως λυπουμενοι αει δε χαιροντες ως πτωχοι πολλους δε πλουτιζοντες ως μηδεν εχοντες και παντα κατεχοντες

11 το στομα ημων ανεωγεν προς υμας κορινθιοι η καρδια ημων πεπλατυνται

12 ου στενοχωρεισθε εν ημιν στενοχωρεισθε δε εν τοις σπλαγχνοις υμων

13 την δε αυτην αντιμισθιαν ως τεκνοις λεγω πλατυνθητε και υμεις

14 μη γινεσθε ετεροζυγουντες απιστοις τις γαρ μετοχη δικαιοσυνη και ανομια τις δε κοινωνια φωτι προς σκοτος

15 τις δε συμφωνησις χριστω προς βελιαλ η τις μερις πιστω μετα απιστου

16 τις δε συγκαταθεσις ναω θεου μετα ειδωλων υμεις γαρ ναος θεου εστε ζωντος καθως ειπεν ο θεος οτι ενοικησω εν αυτοις και εμπεριπατησω και εσομαι αυτων θεος και αυτοι εσονται μοι λαος

17 διο εξελθετε εκ μεσου αυτων και αφορισθητε λεγει κυριος και ακαθαρτου μη απτεσθε καγω εισδεξομαι υμας

18 και εσομαι υμιν εις πατερα και υμεις εσεσθε μοι εις υιους και θυγατερας λεγει κυριος παντοκρατωρ

ταυτας ουν εχοντες τας επαγγελιας αγαπητοι καθαρισωμεν εαυτους απο παντος μολυσμου σαρκος και πνευματος επιτελουντες αγιωσυνην εν φοβω θεου

And working together also we call upon [you] that ye receive not in vain the grace of God --

for He saith, `In an acceptable time I did hear thee, and in a day of salvation I did help thee, lo, now [is] a well-accepted time; lo, now, a day of salvation,' --

in nothing giving any cause of offence, that the ministration may be not blamed,

but in everything recommending ourselves as God's ministrants; in much patience, in tribulations, in necessities, in distresses,

in stripes, in imprisonments, in insurrections, in labours, in watchings, in fastings,

in pureness, in knowledge, in long-suffering, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in love unfeigned,

in the word of truth, in the power of God, through the armour of the righteousness, on the right and on the left,

through glory and dishonour, through evil report and good report, as leading astray, and true;

as unknown, and recognized; as dying, and lo, we live; as chastened, and not put to death;

10 as sorrowful, and always rejoicing; as poor, and making many rich; as having nothing, and possessing all things.

11 Our mouth hath been open unto you, O Corinthians, our heart hath been enlarged!

12 ye are not straitened in us, and ye are straitened in your [own] bowels,

13 and [as] a recompense of the same kind, (as to children I say [it],) be ye enlarged -- also ye!

14 Become not yoked with others -- unbelievers, for what partaking [is there] to righteousness and lawlessness?

15 and what fellowship to light with darkness? and what concord to Christ with Belial? or what part to a believer with an unbeliever?

16 and what agreement to the sanctuary of God with idols? for ye are a sanctuary of the living God, according as God said -- `I will dwell in them, and will walk among [them], and I will be their God, and they shall be My people,

17 wherefore, come ye forth out of the midst of them, and be separated, saith the Lord, and an unclean thing do not touch, and I -- I will receive you,

18 and I will be to you for a Father, and ye -- ye shall be to Me for sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.'

Having, then, these promises, beloved, may we cleanse ourselves from every pollution of flesh and spirit, perfecting sanctification in the fear of God;

Their Ministry Commended

And (A)working together with Him, (B)we also urge you not to receive (C)the grace of God in vain— for He says,

(D)At a favorable time I listened to you,
And on a day of salvation I helped you.”

Behold, now is “a favorable time,” behold, now is “a day of salvation”— (E)giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything (F)commending ourselves as [a](G)servants of God, (H)in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, in (I)beatings, in imprisonments, in (J)[b]mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in (K)hunger, in purity, in (L)knowledge, in (M)patience, in kindness, in the (N)Holy Spirit, in (O)genuine love, in (P)the word of truth, and in (Q)the power of God; by (R)the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and (S)dishonor, by (T)evil report and good report; regarded as (U)deceivers and yet (V)true; as unknown and yet well known, as (W)dying and yet behold, (X)we are alive; as [c]punished and yet not put to death, 10 as (Y)sorrowful yet always (Z)rejoicing, as (AA)poor yet making many rich, as (AB)having nothing and yet possessing (AC)all things.

11 (AD)Our mouth [d]has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our (AE)heart is opened wide. 12 You are not restrained [e]by us, but (AF)you are restrained in your own [f]affections. 13 Now in the same way in (AG)exchange—I am speaking as to (AH)children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well.

14 (AI)Do not be [g]mismatched with (AJ)unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness (AK)share together, or what does light have in common with darkness? 15 Or what (AL)harmony does Christ have with [h]Belial, or [i]what does a (AM)believer share with an (AN)unbeliever? 16 Or (AO)what agreement does [j]the temple of God have with idols? For we are [k](AP)the temple of (AQ)the living God; just as God said,

(AR)I will (AS)dwell among them and (AT)walk among them;
And I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
17 (AU)Therefore, (AV)come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord.
And do not touch what is unclean;
And I will welcome you.
18 (AW)And I will be a father to you,
And you shall be (AX)sons and daughters to Me,”
Says the Lord Almighty.

Paul Reveals His Heart

Therefore, having these promises, (AY)beloved, (AZ)let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Corinthians 6:4 Or ministers
  2. 2 Corinthians 6:5 Lit tumults
  3. 2 Corinthians 6:9 Or disciplined
  4. 2 Corinthians 6:11 Lit is open to you
  5. 2 Corinthians 6:12 Or in us
  6. 2 Corinthians 6:12 Lit inward parts
  7. 2 Corinthians 6:14 Lit unevenly yoked
  8. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Gr Beliar; a name of the devil and the antichrist
  9. 2 Corinthians 6:15 Lit what part has a believer with an unbeliever
  10. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple
  11. 2 Corinthians 6:16 Or a temple